


The Darkest Night

by War_of_Stars



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gen, Genderbending, Grief/Mourning, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-04-06 13:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14057619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/War_of_Stars/pseuds/War_of_Stars
Summary: Obi-wan still has the high ground. But in the final moments on Mustafar, the flawless Jedi Master cannot swing the saber.And that...that changes everything.Forced to live under the roof of a tyrannical Sith Lord, Obi-wan and Padmé must work together to take down the Empire from within, all whilst dealing with their inner demons, ghosts of the past, and an all-encompassing grief that threatens to consume them. Can Anakin be saved? Or is he just too far gone?“I will protect you, Obi-wan, you and Padmé. No one will hurt you, I promise.”At this, Obi-wan couldn’t help but laugh at the irony.“But Anakin, who will protect us from you?”





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> VERY IMPORTANT!  
> In case you guys didn’t see the tag, Obi-wan Kenobi is female in this story, so if that’s not your thing I wouldn’t recommend reading this.
> 
> Also, the premise of this fic was actually inspired by one of my favorite authors in this fandom, Yesac, although my fic will have a very different plot, as well as female Obi-wan. Yesac’s works are brilliant, I highly suggest checking them out, even though the author hasn’t written in a while. Thank you for reading my story!

Obi-wan watches in shock as Padmé gracelessly falls to the ground, and immediately runs over to her, checking her pulse. It’s stable, thank the force. She looks up at Anakin. How did ever come to this?

_You killed children, Anakin. Is that the man I raised you to be?_

They have a meaningless exchange which only solidifies Anakin’s loyalty to his Emperor before Obi-wan raises her blade and begins the most difficult duel of her life. It is a fight of unspoken words and regret, a fight of emotions and feelings, as a permanent rift is torn between what was once inseperable.

The Hero With No Fear and the Negotiator. The unbreakable team. Well, it was certainly broken now.

Sweat trickles down her chin as she blocks blow after blow from Anakin. The man that had once been her best friend. She holds his lightsaber at bay with her own, and for a second, their eyes met. His, filled with anger and hatred, an all-consuming rage that threatened to overwhelm his former Master where she stood. Hers, filled with grim determination, as well as a deep melancholiness as her world literally burned to ashes around her.

Finally, she parries Anakin’s blow and leapt, her feet striking the grainy mound of ash and dirt while Anakin looks up at her from the river of lava, his sickly yellow eyes boring into her grey-blue orbs. “It’s over, Anakin! I have the high ground.”

“You underestimate my power.”

She suddenly knows, without Anakin saying anything(Vader, her mind whispers, not Anakin, but she can’t bear to call him that), what he is about to do. “Don’t try it.”

He jumps. Of course he does. When has he ever listened to Obi-wan anyway? Anakin dives headfirst into everything he does, whether it’s a secret marriage, a lightsaber fight with one of the most powerful Sith lords of their time, and now a quest to kill the one that has betrayed him the most.

She visualizes it in her head. Her saber cutting through his midsection and his legs, sending his body tumbling to the lava river, splitting him in two. His body, catching afire and burning. Her purpose complete.

She never even lifts her lightsaber. She can’t.

But it appears Anakin can, as his lightsaber comes in contact with her skin and slices her back and legs, a deep gash that sends her tumbling to the ground and gasping in pain.

Force, the pain is unbearable, and her skin feels like it’s on fire. The burning sensation clouds her thoughts and vision as she screams, waiting for the killing blow.

Do it, Anakin. What are you waiting for? Do you have to make me suffer? Just end me. Let me return to my Jedi brethren. Let me be free, if not in life, then in death, atleast.

“You didn’t swing. I was open, and you saw it... but you didn’t swing. You couldn’t kill me.”

Just breathing hurts, and Obi-wan struggles to avoid losing consciousness as Anakin continues, “The jedi who couldn’t kill a sith. The jedi who let her emotion cloud her judgement. I guess you’re not so perfect after all, Obi-wan.”

His cruel taunt hurts her more than he will ever know, but even know, helpless at his feet and lying on the ground, she cannot bring herself to regret her decision. It was foolish of Yoda to send her to do this. She was never going to be kill Anakin anyway. Anakin, the boy who she had practically raised and become attached to, despite the warnings of her sacred code. Perhaps this was all her fault after all. 

Obi-wan looks up at him with sadness and acceptance in her gaze, whispering, “You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.”

His shocked face is the last thing she sees before she blacks out, the last light, the last hope of the Jedi, finally succumbing to the darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading this story! I would greatly appreciate any feedback you have for me, and I promise the next few chapters will be longer. This is only a bit short because it is the prologue.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few days after the battle on Mustafar....

She opened her eyes, blinking and adjusting her eyes to the light. Sunlight trickled into through the open windows and Obi-wan instinctively shivered against the light breeze. 

“Good morning.” Obi-wan started a bit at the unexpected noise, before relaxing. It was just Padmé, leaning in the doorway with one hand on her stomach. She had a blank stare on her face, although the corners of her mouth were twitching from catching the renown Jedi Master off guard. Not that Obi-wan was surprised; she hadn’t seen Padmé smile since the day it all fell apart.

There wasn’t exactly much to smile about, except perhaps the tiny lifeforms that were growing inside the lovely brown-haired woman. Even now, Obi-wan could sense the two Force prescences, and Padmé looked like she was ready to give birth any second.

“Let me take a look at the wound again,” Padmé commanded, walking over to the bed. Obi-wan turned around and allowed Padmé to change the bandages on her back wound, wincing as she touched the tender skin. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the phantom pain from Anakin’s lightsaber as it sliced her back mercilessly, as if Anakin was cutting a cake rather than killing his master.

“Is it feeling better?” 

It took all of Obi-wan’s willpower not to jump and instead she met the golden eyes of her former friend, who had just entered the room.

Brother. Ally. Enemy. Sith. She didn’t know what to call him anymore.

“It feels a little better,” she responded, shifting uneasily. Even though Anakin had robbed her of her Force power by installing a Force-blocker chip in her arm, she could still sense the tension in the air between the married couple. Absentmindedly, Obi-wan rubbed her arm, wishing she could yank the chip out. What she wouldn’t give to feel the Force one more time, to feel the vibrancy of her surroundings, teeming with life.

Padmé carefully got up from the bed and left without sparing Anakin a glance. Obi-wan saw a flicker of pain in Anakin’s eyes at Padmé’s frigid demeanor and fought the urge to comfort him, but Anakin wasn’t a little boy anymore.

“You both hate me, don’t you?” Anakin’s eyes are mocking, yet calculating in a way they have never been before as he waits for an answer.

“We could never hate you, Anakin, just what you’ve become.”

“And what have I become, Obi-wan, a Sith? Are you so prejudiced that you would judge me from following a different ideology of the Force than you?”

The red-haired woman felt an uncharacteristic burst of anger well up inside her. “Ideology? Is that what you call murdering innocent men, women and younglings Anakin? Is that what you call betraying your family-“

“The Jedi were traitors. I did what had to be done. And besides, Padmé is my wife and you are like my sister; _you’re_ my family.”

Obi-wan wished she could grab Anakin, shake him and knock some sense into him. She didn’t recognize this Lord Vader, this man that had replaced Anakin with a soulless, remorseless being. She had half a mind to fight back, to argue that Anakin couldn't be more wrong, but she know that arguing would do no good. Not here, while Anakin had all the power.

Better to keep her mouth shut and bide her time.

Anakin seemed satisfied, sitting down on the bed next to Obi-wan with a smug smirk on his face. “I killed Sidious today. He never saw it coming. I figured I had all the power I needed to save Padmé, and I don’t think he knew how to help Padmé anyway. I’m the emperor now.”

“Congratulations,” Obi-wan said bitterly. “Happy now, Anakin? You have unlimited power, but at what cost?”

“It wasn’t about the power, Obi-wan. It’s about saving Padmé, and it’s about making sure I never lose anyone I love ever again.” She can hear the fear in Anakin’s voice, the fear of a son who lost a mother and doesn’t want to lose anyone else.

“Padmé is having some of her old Senator friends over today. I think it might be good for her to see them again.”

Obi-wan nodded tersely, unsure of what to say. Anakin seemed as uncomfortable as she was, both of them avoiding the elephant in the room as he continued, “As far as the Republic knows, Obi-wan, you didn’t betray anyone like the rest of the Jedi. You and I are the only Jedi who remained loyal.”

“I will protect you, Obi-wan, you and Padmé. No one will hurt you, I promise.”

At this, Obi-wan couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. 

“But Anakin, who will protect us from you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked the chapter! I have a lot of ideas for this story, but at the moment I am a little unsure about whether or not I should continue it, so any feedback you guys can leave in a comment would be super helpful!


	3. Chapter 3

Obi-wan smoothed the imaginary wrinkles on her navy tunic, checking her appearance in the mirror for the hundredth time. Of course, she didn’t actually care that much about how she looked, but it was the only pretense she could use to stay out of the living room, where the senators, Padmé, and Anakin were waiting for her.

Sighing, she opened the door and plastered a smile onto her face, leaving the bedroom and going over to where Padmé’s senator friends were standing. The smiles on their faces looked as fake as Obi-wan’s own, and there was an undercurrent of tension and feigned politeness in the air.

“Obi-wan! It’s good to see you again, my old friend. I heard that you have been... indisposed, as of late. Are you alright?”  
There is nothing but concern in Bail Organa’s dark brown eyes as he sidled up next to her, and Obi-wan relaxed, letting out a breath.

“I’m feeling much better, Bail, thank you for asking,” she responded, before looking around and frowning. “Where’s Anakin?”

“He’s checking on the kitchen droids to see when lunch will be ready. I hope it’s soon, I’m famished,” Padmé told her, letting out a little laugh and rubbing her stomach, as the senators all laughed with her. Obi-wan is skilled in the art of artifice, but she still doesn’t understand how they all do it. How these senators, who must pretend to be loyal to the emperor lest they be killed, are able to stand there and talk about trivial things like the weather when the republic is crumbling around them.

A few other senators greet Obi-wan as well, careful to refer to her as “Miss” or “General” Kenobi, avoiding the term “Master.” Mon Mothma shot her an indecipherable look, but it quickly vanished as the senators clustered around their empress and discussed the merits of a dictatorship over a republic. Obi-wan mentally commended Padmé for keeping a straight face, knowing how dedicated the woman was to democracy when that subject came up. Of course, she understood why the senators were speaking like this; they had to prove their loyalty to their new emperor. It wasn’t like they had any choice. Everyone knew the Senate was virtually powerless now.

Amidala led the senators to the dining room, and as everyone took a seat, Obi-wan eyes were immediately drawn to the fireplace. She was transfixed by the burning embers, watching as the fire rose and fell, and another memory immediately came to mind. A river of lava, cutting into the volcanic ash of Mustafar. Specks of lava flying everywhere as Anakin and her did battle, balancing on a metal pole. A pain like fire, burning through her flesh as a lightsaber sliced her skin, heat searing her skin...

“Obi-wan!” Cold fingers landed on her shoulder and arm, steadying her before she fell to the floor. Instinctively, Obi-wan grasped the marble pillar in front of her, forcing herself to focus on anything but the fires of Mustafar. “Are you alright?”

Obi-wan turned around and flinched slightly, refusing to meet Anakin’s eyes as she reassured him that she was, indeed, alright. 

“Are you sure? Maybe it’s the back wound again, it still hasn’t fully healed. You can rest in the bedroom if this is too strenuous for you, I’ll get Threepio to send you some lunch and some sedatives so you can rest.” Anakin gently put his hand on her back, guiding her towards her room. There was so much concern in Anakin’s voice, and for a second she could believe that this was just a routine mission, and her padawan was helping her to the medbay to deal with her injuries.

But reality sunk in, and Obi-wan removed herself from his grip.

“I said I was fine, Anakin.”

Anakin’s golden eyes glowed, and he scowled. “Don’t push me, Obi-wan. I think we both know what I’m capable of.”

She ignored him, walking back to the dining room as he trailed behind her. She took a seat between Padmé and Bail, noting how the senators stiffened as Vader entered the room and sat next to his wife. Conversation resumed, as senators politely engaged Anakin, and Obi-wan ate as much as she could stomach without throwing up.

“I have heard about trouble in the Rhodian sector, senator, something about some fringe rebel groups. The Empire would gladly devote its armies to help you crush any fledgling rebellions, you only need ask,” Anakin said, smiling at a senator who nodded gratefully. Obi-wan has to hand it to Anakin, he can be quite charismatic when he wants to be. He’s a hero, the kind of dictator that the galaxy might actually be willing to accept, and that thought scares her more than anything; if military occupation of a planet is not an infringement of citizen rights, she doesn’t know what is.

The lunch was over soon enough, as senators trickled out of the apartment until Bail, his wife and Mon Mothma were the last two left. Breha and Bail are saying their last minute goodbyes to Padmé and Anakin when Mon Mothma took Obi-wan by surprise by pulling her into a hug. Her and the Chandrilan senator have never been particularly close, but she returned the gesture anyway.

A rustle of paper passing through fingertips and pressing into her palm caught her attention. Obi-wan closed her fingers around the scrap of paper and smiled at the female senator, her heart beating rapidly as she subtly slipped it into her pocket. 

The last of the senators leave, until it is just her, Anakin, and Padmé. Padmé rounded on her immediately and asked, “How are you feeling? You looked a bit pale when we went to eat lunch, and I saw Anakin trying to lead you out.”

“I’m alright, I was just... thinking.”

“About what?” Anakin stepped forward, breaching her personal space yet again, and probing her mind for an answer. It’s a gesture that that finally pushes her over the edge, especially since she no longer has access to the Force and cannot fight back.

“Will you just kriff off Anakin?”

Silence. Padmé’s eyes are wide and a flicker of fears runs through them. Obi-wan motioned for her to leave the room; whatever happened next was not going to be pretty, and she didn’t want Anakin to hurt his wife or the twins by accident. Padmé hesitates and nods, leaving the room, but not before whispering “Give him hell” in her ear.

And really, this was a long time coming.

“What is your problem? This is your life, Obi-wan. You’re not a Jedi anymore-“

“Because you killed them, Anakin! You murdered your friends, your family, you killed _younglings _that did nothing wrong... you might justify it by saying that you were saving Padmé, but the only person you were saving was yourself.”__

____

__Obi-wan softened her tone. “Don’t you see, Anakin? This is why the Jedi ban attachment. There’s nothing wrong with loving someone, but when you allow that love to become selfish, when you care more about saving yourself from pain rather than helping others, that’s how you become a monster-”_ _

__Anakin slapped her, and she fell to the floor, clutching her cheek in shock. Anger coursed through her as she lunged for the Sith lord, taking him by surprise. Miraculously, she managed to grab his lightsaber and grasp it in her hand._ _

__Anakin narrowed his eyes. “Fine, you want to do this the hard way? We can do this the hard way.”_ _

__Obi-wan swung at him as he jumped out of the way, using the Force to launch objects at her. She sliced the couch in half and internally winces, imagining Padmé’s reaction. With the Force, however, Anakin is too powerful, and she knows he’s just toying with her, releasing his own frustrations._ _

__They are both furious, and the Force is nearly ripped apart at the strength of their anger. Obi-wan slashes angrily as Anakin sends objects flying at her. Finally, she manages to strike him on the arm, and he hisses in pain._ _

__“Okay, that’s it.” Anakin motions with his arm, and the lightsaber flies out of her hand. She gasps as he slams her back into the wall, her head smacking against it. Anakin looms over, glaring, and Obi-wan wonders if this is it. Wonders if Anakin is finally fed up with her, ready to end her once and for all._ _

__Either way, she’s not going down without a fight._ _

__She pulls her hands in fists, but before either of them can move, a scream rips through the air._ _

__Padmé._ _


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Difficult conversations take place.

Giving birth was painful. 

Atleast, that’s what Obi-wan could surmise from the agonized look on Padmé’s face as the doctor urged her to keep pushing. Anakin was pacing behind the door, too anxious to be in the actual room, so it’s Obi-wan’s hand that Padmé squeezes the life out of as she gives birth to the twins.

Luke comes out first, a red-faced little infant that cries until the doctor hands him over to Obi-wan. He quiets instantly, and Obi-wan can feel the brightness that he emits from the Force as his clumsy little prescence reaches out to her. It reminds her so much of a nine year old slave boy that it hurts, but it’s not long before Luke’s twin sister decides to enter the world.

It’s Anakin who immediately enters the room and holds Leia, his face tense as he watches Padmé. However, to his relief, the doctor states that Padmé is perfectly healthy and will easily recover from the birth.

Padmé holds out her arms, and Obi-wan gives her Luke to hold. Anakin bends down so that she can scoop Leia as well, and there’s a moment when she grasps his hands as he hands his daughter over. Padmé looks at Anakin with a look of desperation on her face, her chocolate brown eyes seeking the familiar sky-blue orbs that had held her at night, comforting her in her darkest hours.

Anakin returns the look with equal measure and ferocity, and Obi-wan feels like she is intruding on a private moment. Two lovers, a single broken heart that desired to be whole. But in the end, Anakin’s eyes are still tinted yellow, and he is a Sith Lord, a fact that no one but the man himself could change.

Whatever Anakin and Padmé are looking for in each other’s faces, they evidently can’t find it. Padmé pulls away from Anakin and focuses on the twins, breaking the spell.

Obi-wan looked between the two individuals she’d known for years now, seeing the chasm between them, and prayed that Luke and Leia wouldn’t be caught up in this mess.

********************

Luke cooed at her as Obi-wan gently rocked in her arms, whispering baby nonsense into his ears. Suddenly, Anakin appeared next to her with Leia fast asleep in his arms. “Padmé’s resting,” he told her, before smiling at his daughter. Obi-wan’s heart leaped as she caught a flash of blue in his eyes. 

Somewhere in there, Anakin Skywalker was still alive. And maybe this was the best time to bring him out.

“Anakin, what exactly are you planning now? Do you want to raise your children as Sith? Because you and I both know that Padmé will never allow that to happen, and neither would I. Besides, do you really want to subject Luke and Leia to what you had to go through?”

“I will raise my children however I see fit. And I don’t know about Sith, they certainly won’t be raised as Jedi, Obi-wan,” Anakin hissed angrily. “So can you just give it a rest?”

“Give it a rest? You murdered my family, Anakin! You swung your lighsaber through younglings that were barely out of the creche! So I’m sorry if everything isn’t going as you planned, Ani. I’m _sorry_ if I blame you for the deaths that you caused, and I’m _sorry_ if your wife despises what you are-”

“Shut. Up.”

Silence ensued, as the light sound of wind chimes filled the air, before Obi-wan spoke again.

“I understand that you were scared, Anakin. I get that. But that doesn’t excuse what you did.”

“You _understand_ me? Since when have you ever understood me, Obi-wan?”

Anakin set Leia down in her crib, and Obi-wan followed suit with Luke. Something told her this is about to get ugly, and she reached out for the Force forcomfort, only to be met with emptiness. She was on her own this time.

“Do you know what it’s like, Obi-wan? To be a slave? To have nothing to call your own because everything you have belongs to someone else? Time and time again, everything I love has been taken from me. I’m not going to let that happen anymore.”

“Anakin, the Jedi freed you.”

“They didn’t free me. They just locked me in a bigger cage, one filled with unrealistic expectations and burdens that were too great to bear. I still owed everything to my masters: fealty and obedience. And they certainly didn’t set my mother free, did they? Thought she was unnecessary, they only needed her son, after all. I had to watch her die in my arms, Obi-wan, had to watch the life drain out of her eyes, helpless to stop it. Can you understand that?” Anakin’s voice cracked, and he looked away. 

“More than you know.” Obi-wan is surprised that she’s even able to get the words out, still reeling from Anakin’s hateful tone. Unbidden memories of a Jedi master long gone spring into her head, his last words echoing in her ears. _Train him._ She had to force those thoughts out of her head to focus on the more pressing matter at hand. She had always known that Anakin’s relationship with the Jedi Council in particular was prickly at best, but had he always hated them like this? Enough to kill?

The burden of being the Chosen One had been heavy, yes, and they really should have freed Shmi... how did Obi-wan not see this? Had she and the Council truly been so blind to Anakin’s suffering?

“But I got my revenge, Master.” Anakin’s tone of anguish changes abruptly, to one of... victory? “The Tusken-raiders that butchered her, I killed them, cut them open with my lightsaber and made then bleed. Every last man, woman, and child. I avenged her death; those monsters will never hurt anyone ever again.”

Obi-wan freezes at the declaration, too shocked for words. She had always thought it was Sidious who had twisted Anakin, but this was before... no. Anakin was not capable of something like this, not her padawan. Not the boy with sandy hair who had marvelled at the shower and tinkered with every droid in the temple, who used to curl up in her lap when he was younger until Obi-wan got used to the gesture and hugged him back. This Sith that stood before her was unrecognizable because Anakin wasn’t capable of murdering innocent civilians, he couldn’t be... not her padawan.

She felt sick.

She felt so, so sick.

“The dark side set me free, that night and all the nights that followed. When I harness it’s power, no one will ever stand in my way again. Not the Jedi, not Sidious, not even you. I am the most powerful force-user to ever live, Obi-wan,” Anakin says gleefully, a manic glint in his eyes.”

Obi-wan felt the bile rise in her throat, but she forced it down. “What about me, Anakin? If the Jedi truly wanted to imprison you and keep you from reaching your full potential, certainly I was complicit?” Obi-wan asked sarcastically, because she needed to know. If she could, she would’ve traded her life for any of her comrades or younglings in a heartbeat. So why was she spared? Why did she survive? 

Anakin’s faced softened as he responded, “You’re different. I know you wouldn’t hurt me, you’ve proven that already. Whatever deception the Jedi have engaged in, you weren’t a part of it. You’re my sister, Obi-wan, I know that despite the Jedi’s dogma about attachments, you still love me. And I will always protect you, I promise. No one will ever hurt you again.”

“Too much, Anakin. I loved you far too much.” The weight of these words shatter the quintessential Jedi, as she hunches over, arms crossing her stomach in an effort to avoid hurling. This conversation was a mistake. She had learned things that she had never wanted to know. Anakin gently brushed a few strands of red hair out of her eyes, taking in the ashen look on her face. At another time and place, his words and the gesture would have been sweet. In context, however, they tasted like ashes in her mouth.

She should have died. It would’ve all been so much simpler if she had, rather than be forced to deal with her best friend who was a murderer, and the deaths of everyone she had ever cared about.

Obi-wan pushed Anakin away, disgusted and horrified beyond words. His eyes flash, but his posture was one of victory. He thought that he’d won this battle of words, and honestly, Obi-wan agreed with him. He’d rendered her speechless, with nothing left to say.

“They’ll be a festival on Coruscant in a few weeks, in honor of me and the twins. You’ll be expected to attend.”

“The people adore me, Obi-wan. I’ve promised to get rid of slavery, to send our military forces to every corner of the galaxy so that no rebellions occur ever again. There’s no use fighting anymore.”

He turned around satisified that he’d said his part, before remembering something. “Oh, and I’ve assigned some clones to the twins as guards, to protect them. They can be trusted, and they’ve already been cleared by Padmé.”

At this, the auburn-haired woman frowned. The clones had murdered children, so who on Earth would Padmé trust with her own?

The door slid open, and two very familiar looking clones slipped into view. One with a yellow-streaked helmet, the other in blue, but both with weary, resigned looks on their faces.

They look more defeated than Obi-wan has ever seen them, and that was saying something, as she had seen both of them through quite a bit.

“Rex? Cody?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it’s been a while, but summer is rapidly approaching, meaning I’ve started to have a lot more time to write nowadays, so that’s great. This chapter was just filled with angst, so it’d be great if you would let me know what you think of it! Comments and kudos are always encouraging, and the former in particular really helps me improve my writing style.
> 
> Concerning the chapter as a whole, I know that Anakin is very much the villain of this story, but I’m trying to flesh him out a little bit, make him somewhat more sympathetic, or at the very least understandable. I mean, his background is actually really traumatizing when you think about it, even if that doesn’t excuse what he did. Please let me know if he actually became more sympathetic, because grey characters like Anakin that possess a dubious morality are always the most difficult to write, and I really would appreciate any feedback or suggestions.
> 
> Up next: angst, angst, and more angst, but there will be a few more lighthearted moments along the way. AKA Obi-wan does _not_ do dresses, and the “You almost killed me, but it’s cool” conversation with Cody doesn’t go quite as planned.


	5. Chapter 5

Obi-wan sang softly to the infant in her arms. Padmé was getting fitted for the parade that was to take place in honor of the twins with Leia, and Anakin was busy preparing for the event as Emperor, which left her with the rare opportunity for some alone time with Luke.

Well, she was almost alone.

A man with a yellow helmet stood guard, tasked with protecting the Emperor’s son, surreptitiously glancing at the auburn haired woman when he thought she wasn’t looking.

An awkward silence filled the air before Obi-wan sighed and decided to break it. “Cody-”

“I’m sorry, General. I’m so, so sorry.” Cody’s words stuck in his throat but he forced them out, desperation seizing him as he sought to explain what had happened. 

“I don’t know why I did it. I don’t know. Something just came over me, and I couldn’t control it, I didn’t want to. But good soldiers follow orders, good soldiers follow orders…. I would never willingly hurt you, General, please, you have to believe me-” Cody was gasping for air without even realizing it, struggling to breathe and verbalize his apology.

And then Obi-wan was next to him, holding Luke up with one arm and placing a hand on Cody’s shoulder. “Cody, it’s alright. I… I believe you. I don’t think it’s something you would’ve done if you had a choice.” 

Cody was stunned. He hadn’t thought earning her forgiveness would be this easy. 

Then again, this was Obi-wan Kenobi.

He sighed and gripped his General’s hand. “I’ll never do anything like that again, General. I mean, Anakin authorized the chips to be taken out-”

“Wait, what chips?”

Cody patiently explained how Sidious had installed chips in their head to control them and force them to kill their Jedi generals. Obi-wan looked appropriately horrified, but Cody reassured her that Anakin had taken them out, uncomfortable with the idea that the clones were robbed of their free will.

“And yet, you still follow him,” Obi-wan stated with a guarded expression on her face.

“Of course, General. He’s our leader, and he’s still our general. Chips or not, we clones have to remain loyal to the Republic.”

“He’s not the man you knew, Cody. Trust me on that.”

********************

Unnecessary opulence. Over-the-top extravagance. Everything about the celebration contradicted the Jedi teachings of living a spartan lifestyle.

Anakin was dressed in an all black suit, beaming at the crowd as he waved from the speeder. Coruscantians screamed in support, throwing roses at their new dictator.

“So this is how democracy dies. With thunderous applause.” Padmé readjusted Leia in her arms before forcing a smile on her face. To the adoring masses, she must look like the pinnacle of perfection, not a hair out of place, her dark purple dress complementing her slightly tanned skin tone. No one saw the cracks beneath the mask.

Obi-wan, for her part, ducked every question reporters threw at her and refused to smile, adjusting Luke in her arms for most of the celebration as an excuse not to look up. She fidgeted with her dress, a gold thing that was so fancy she felt like burning it. She missed the beige, cotton Jedi robe rubbing against her skin, loosely fitting her.

Finally, they made it to the podium where Anakin addressed his subjects. “My good people! I am proud to announce the birth of my children, Luke and Leia!” The crowd let out a deafening cheer as Padmé stepped forward with Leia and Anakin picked up Luke from Obi-wan’s arms, the baby fussing slightly at being disturbed before relaxing in his father’s embrace.

“They will symbolize a new age of glory for the Republic. Gone are the foolish ways of the Senate and the corrupt Jedi Order. They have been replaced with something better, more efficient. And yet, there are those who still challenge my reign. Old traces of the past still linger in today’s shadows. But let the past die, and embrace the new era that is to come.” 

Even as the people cheered, Obi-wan felt her hair stand on end. Something was very, very wrong.

Everyone suddenly became quiet, hushed whispers flitting through the crowd as two clones dragged an unrecognizable figure a few yards away from the podium. 

Obi-wan’s heart leapt in her throat. Because through the matted hair and bloodied skin, she would recognize the dark brown eyes of Quinlan Vos anywhere, typically sparkling with humor, now faded and dull. 

Oh Force. Not Quinlan.

“Trooper! Execute this Jedi traitor for his crimes against the Republic,” Anakin ordered as the crowd cheered him on once before, booing the Jedi.

Obi-wan couldn’t believe it. This was Quinlan. Anakin had fought with him, gone on missions with him... and now he was executing with him with a smile on his face and a newborn in his arms. 

Quinlan lifted his eyes, and for a second, they meet Obi-wan’s blue-grey ones. The movement is all it takes for Obi-wan to spring into action.

“NO!” She screamed and ran forward. A guard tried to block her, but she punched him in the eye and kicked him in the ribs, pushing him to the ground howling in pain. She might not have the Force, but that didn’t mean she was defenseless.

She bent down in front of Quinlan and pulled the man into a hug, as the crowd and everyone else stared in shock. “Come on, Quinlan. We can make it, we just have to-“ Obi-wan paused and looked around, the reality of her situation suddenly dawning on her. 

There was no escape. Clones were already making their way over towards her, blocking every possible exit. The crowd was too dense for her to run towards them, and besides, they clearly hated the Jedi anyway. From where she stood, Obi-wan could see everything, from the disappointed look on Anakin’s face to the blank expression on Padmé’s.

She turned slightly, catching Bail and Mon Mothma’s gazes. Both shot her looks of sympathy, but they were powerless to help.

“It’s okay, Obi-wan. Yoda’s alive, and there are others. It’s okay,” Vos whispered. Obi-wan swallowed, clutching the hand of one of her oldest friends like her life depended on it, and silently meditated with him even if neither of them had access to the Force. Yoda was alive, the last vestige of a once-great order, and for now, that was enough. For a moment, it was as if no one existed but them, two Jedi in a world that despised them for what they were.

It took five clones to pry them apart, dragging her back to the podium, and two were forced to restrain her.

Obi-wan fought like hell to get them to release her. It wasn’t enough.

She watched as three clones lined up, readied their blasters, and fired, not a single bolt missing their target. She let out a raw scream of pain and fury as the life drained from Vos’s eyes, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Obi-wan felt her own body hit the ground after Vos’s, unable to process what had happened. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the thunderous crowd, cheering for the end of an old Order and the beginning of a new one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wondering why Quinlan Vos was executed by clones, Vos actually despised most clone troopers, which is why they probably wouldn’t have qualms about killing him.
> 
> Also, this is the end of the story, but I’m thinking about making it a collection and writing a part two. Part Two would focus more on Obi-wan and Padmé working to undermine Anakin.
> 
> Please let me know what you think about the story as a whole!


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